More specifically, the invention concerns a mechanical paper processing apparatus, two paper strips each passing between two cylindrical embossing rollers, one roller being smooth and rubber-clad, the other being engraved and illustratively made of steel. The axes of the two engraved rollers run parallel and each roller is mounted rotatably about its axis between two support plates of the apparatus and both rollers configured tangentially to each other. In this apparatus design, a first of the engraved rollers is rotatably mounted on a cradle which is pivotable relative to a stationary apparatus base plate, the second engraved roller being mounted on this base plate, and furthermore each engraved roller is mounted in rotatable manner by means of cylindrical bearings at each roller end which are affixed in corresponding housings in the support plates respectively of the stationary base plate and of the pivoting cradle.
FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a known apparatus for processing paper mechanically. It includes two engraved cylindrical rollers each mounted rotatably about a horizontal transverse axis between two vertical apparatus support plates each running in a plane perpendicular to the roller axes. Each roller includes a central shaft of which one end is mounted by means of a cylindrical bearing into a housing of the corresponding support plate. Illustratively, the cylindrical bearing may act simultaneously as a rotational roller guide and as a roller affixation means in the transverse direction. The cylindrical bearing furthermore may include means driving the roller into rotation and/or means accurately adjusting the roller axis position, in particular, to control the separation of the two engraved rollers or their relative axial positions.
When the engraved rollers must be replaced, for example for maintenance or to be exchanged for rollers offering a different embossing pattern, implementation will be time consuming and tricky.
The old roller(s) must be dismantled and thereby the cylindrical bearings must be removed. The reassembly of the cylindrical bearings and the replacement roller(s) is time consuming and laborious because of the many necessary adjustments.